BYYB Forums

About 4 months ago I built a channel for the trailer from 2x6 and 2x4 lumber as called for in the Weekender plans. I used brown pressure treated material thinking it would last longer. I left this laying on my galvanized trailer in the approximate location where it would latter be bolted down.

I went out today to look at completing the trailer set up and found that the galvanizing under the 2x6 was almost completely eaten away and replaced with a green powder. I scrapped the green stuff away with a wire brush. It looks like the galvanizing in the areas that had contact with the treated wood is gone!

I never heard of this problem before and thought I would warn anyone thinking of using this type of wood on their galvanized trailer.

Before I remake this channel using regular lumber, I was wondering if this set up has worked out ok for everyone or if you have come up with something better?

Thanks, Joel

I used doug fir for my channel, and have had no problems...knock on wood...

Looking back, I would have done better to treat the wood with some sort of weather-proofing sealer, but that's the past :lol:

As of a few years ago, all the pressure treated wood commonly available (except special applications and industrial use) had CCA (chromate copper arsenate), which worked quite well, but health concerns were raised. The new chemicals are ACQ (amine copper quat and CA (copper azone), which aren't as effective, but the EPA likes these better (for the time being) for general use.

The jury is still out on these treatments, but it does affect metals differently. In order to get the wood to be bug and rot resistant, they've increased the copper content, which can have high corrosive affects on metals. Standard zinc plated fasteners don't last very long, nor do typical galvanized fasteners. Even hot dipped fasteners, below say a G-150 rating will likely experience corrosion.

Okay, so what about all this mumbo-jumbo copper crap, right. You'll need stainless fasteners in contact with this new treated wood. Some of the fastener manufactures have stepped up and are using special coatings on their stuff (powder coating, copper plating, etc.) to address concerns, but most haven't done much yet.

No need to remake anything, just replace the bolts that contact the keel channel with stainless and you're good to go.